H1N1 clinics held in Marion Co. schools

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Health officials in Marion County have taken their fight against H1N1 into schools.

Students at ten schools in the county received immunizations for the virus Monday.

(Click here for the IPS H1N1 Vaccination Schedule)

That effort comes as the county released some encouraging statistics.

The percentage of lab tests in Marion County that were positive for Influenza A continues to go down.

It was up above 25%. Now, it's fewer than 15%.

However, health officials have a warning: Even if the number of flu cases is down, this bug is still out there.

"We're not out of the woods yet," said John Althardt of the Marion County Health Department.

And that's why the Marion County Health Department has started a full-court press with the county's children.

Nurses are now vaccinating kids in the schools.

They started Monday with five schools in the Indianpolis Public School District and one each in five of the township school systems.

Tanya Harris was at IPS School #69 while her 9-year-old daughter, Diamond Brown, was vaccinated.

"It's a blessing for me," said Harris.

But not every parent shared her enthusiasm.

Of the 400 kids or so at IPS #69, only 150 brought the consent forms their parents needed to fill out to get them vaccinated.

Principal Sue Fries was not discouraged.

"It's a good response," she said. "Some of the parents said they appreciate the opportunity, they would have taken us up on the opportunity, but some of them were looking to go to the community health clinics as a family and get their shots at that time. And I totally understand that."

The consent forms ask parents about their children's medical histories.

Kids with conditions such as asthma or diabetes did not receive the live vaccine, which comes in nasal mist form.

They received the vaccine the old fashioned way: a shot in the arm.

That method elicited a predictable number of tears.

"We did have a few that were upset, and I think once they saw one get upset, it was kind of like a filter," Fries said. "Quite a few more got upset. But I think it's kind of stopped, and we're to the older kids and it's going much smoother."

Parents may be wondering if the Marion County Health Department is going to provide the booster for the vaccine in the schools as well.

The answer at this point is; probably for those nine and under, as recommended by the CDC.

The health department's John Althardt said he's hopeful the county will have enough vaccine a month or so from now to give those boosters in the schools in another month or so.